


Cantera: A Foundation Story-Part 3

by Zurrunba



Series: Cantera [3]
Category: Foundation - Isaac Asimov
Genre: Alternate Universe - SCP Foundation, Cantera, Fillian Empire, Galactic Empire, Gen, M/M, Science Fiction, galaxy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:55:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22533586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zurrunba/pseuds/Zurrunba
Summary: The Galactic Empire has fallen, with kings, tyrants, and other rulers scrambling to seize power in systems across the galaxy. One such ruler is the Tyrant of Fillia, who thirty years before had crushed a rebellion from the planet Cantera, leaving desolation in its wake. Now the people of Cantera just wish to get on with their lives, but then from somewhere the tyrant gets wind that perhaps things weren't as calm and docile on that planet as the King of Cantera portrayed.If things hadn't seemed bad enough, King Hiero discovered there was a traitor in his midst. In unraveling the web this traitor is embedded in something unexpected happens, changing everything he thought he knew.
Series: Cantera [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1605262
Kudos: 1





	Cantera: A Foundation Story-Part 3

He should’ve known that Tempus, the Foundation representative who’d secretly visiting Cantera, wouldn’t be easily found. The last time King Hiero had gone looking for him he’d failed as well, though he had secretly shown up in the king’s palace to pass on the information about the traitor among his advisors. He hadn’t know who the traitor was, just that someone at the counselor level had to be the one. Would Tempus catch on and find him again if still on the planet? Impossible to say. The usual places had been visited to pass the word along as last time.

Instead of returning straight to the palace he decided to stop at one of the taverns he was familiar with and whose owner he knew. His five guards followed him in. The place wasn’t too busy, which was convenient for him because the last thing he wanted was to cause a ruckus. Not too many people knew what he looked like without his ceremonial garb on. There was always his identifiers in case someone caused him trouble when he needed to get somewhere.

“So what can I get you?” a waiter asked him with a bored look on his face. Definitely has other things on his mind. 

“Ale, please,” he said. “And whatever my friends here want.”

That was always the cue for his security to drink down something as weak as possible, but still make it look like they’re part of some regular bunch of friends. Some of them were personal friends before they became guards, so it made them look a tad bit less like security, though it wouldn’t fool anyone who knew what to look for.

The six of them started to talk about boring work topics. Things that one might see coworkers discussing that wouldn’t interest anyone else. There were a few code words they had should certain situations arise. They were so caught up in their charade that when one of the code words was spoken, the king didn’t immediately realize it. Not until he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“Mind if I join you?”

The code word then registered with him and he glanced up at the somewhat dirty and scratched up face of Tempus with a smile on his face. The code word for potential threat. One of his security guards must’ve recognized him or the agent would’ve had his face planted on the floor.

“Have a seat,” the king said. In a lower voice he continued, “It looks like you’ve decided not to skip off the planet after all.”

“Not yet,” Tempus replied. “I still feel there are a few things for me to discover here. Things I might find interesting if the Foundation does not. 

“What do you say we find us a table in the far corner there where we can speak a little above a whisper?” the agent added.

Nodding his agreement he and his guards followed Tempus to a table at the other end of the room. There were no patrons within three tables from them, and with the music playing there was little chance of being overheard. 

“So what can I do for you, gentlemen?” Tempus asked.

The king looked the agent in the eye and said, “Is there any update on the traitor in my midst?”

When Tempus glanced over at the king’s companions Hiero waved off his concern. These men were the most trustworthy people in his staff.

Shrugging, Tempus replied, “None of your three ministers seem to stand out as more likely than the other. With the people I’ve been able to observe they’re all doing what they should be to resolve it. One can argue that your minister Iar’s problems could be the most easily arranged to divert suspicion. He does interact with a lot more people than you might realize.

“Might I assume that you’ve spoken with them since we last talked?” When the king nodded he continued, “Could you tell me about those conversations? Anything standing out?”

Hiero hesitated. Though a pleasant person to speak with and helpful with some foreign relations with other galactic powers, he was still a foreign power and might be sharing information with other governments the king wasn’t aware of. Finally, the king decided to tell him at least the gist of his three conversations. There wasn’t much in them that Tempus might not already have guessed. Sabotage in the plants, missing trading vessels, increased trading activity of the Fillian Empire in unusual places, and murders on a Canteran space station were the main items that came up with the meetings of the three ministers. Tempus kept close attention to everything that was said without comment until the king was done.

“You sure have a good deal to think about,” Tempus said. “One thing I can immediately tell you is that one of your vanished trading vessels to Gondor was destroyed just off the main planet soon after it departure to return to you. I believe it was called the Sheer?” When the king needed he continued, “It was either attacked by a Fillian cruiser or destroyed from within by some kind of bomb. I can’t tell you what happened to the other one you sent.”

“May I ask how you know this?”

“First of all the Foundation tends to notice when Canteran ships head out of the empire to do business. Your ships aren’t distinctly labeled, but they do have certain traits unique to your planet’s manufacture. Other governments see your ships largely as Fillian regional interests. And I think it best they understand it that way. The tyrant is less likely to object to it so long as profit from such endeavors finds its way to where it should.”

“Well, we are trying to make this all look like low key feelers for trade expansion. We hope the tyrant thinks we’re not making a lot of profit from our endeavors. Especially if they see what some of our trading involves.”

“You’re bordering on the edge of believability there, I’m afraid. The tyrant’s last visit should make that clear. Anyway, when your ship was heading away from Gondor there were a couple Fillian cruisers making their way toward the planet. The communications with those ships and Gondor make it sound like the ship just blew up when the cruisers were coming in. I’m assuming they weren’t giving an order to self-destruct if spotted by Fillian ships.”

“No. They were given orders to cooperate with them if encountered. There were several things they were ordered to pass on in such an event. None of them would possess anything useful to the tyrant in such an event.”

“Nothing? Wasn’t their task to gather information about the tyrant’s doing there?”

“Yes, but the captain there was known to many officials who was on good standing with those on Fillia. The tyrant doesn’t get personally involved in every detail of government. He certainly wouldn’t have the time for it all and to do his other favorite pastimes.”

Tempus nodded. “Yes, getting drunk and being with the ladies does take up a lot of his time; but don’t forget that he’s jealous of his power as well. If he thinks you are planning another revolt he may forgo his pleasure to deal with you personally.”

“That’s what I’m trying to avoid with our other measures.”

The agent was quiet for a moment. He became even more so when the bartender brought by the drinks to the king and his companions. When asked he requested something stronger than the others had. When the man headed back to fulfill the order Tempus resumed.

“While your friend gets my drink I just need to tell you one more thing. I don’t think that the attacks on your space station are directly related to what’s happened with your missing ships or your manufacturing plants, though they may both be Fillian related. As everywhere there are several factions within the government with different goals. Your Admiral Shore who was nearly killed along with several others might have a different connection than the ones causing problems with your manufacturing.”

Tempus was silent as his drink was brought to him. Once the server left he took a moment to take a few sips. The others remained silent. Hiero could tell that there was something else he was about to tell them.

“As it may relate to one of your foreign endeavors, there is something else that happened recently you might be interested in. Yesterday a small Fillian cruiser landed on your tyrant’s home planet near the palace. It was crewed by a couple soldiers from some intelligence service. Not sure which one; they have several. Anyway, just as the passengers were being escorted by several guardsmen the ship exploded and the guards were attacked. The attackers then vanished. Whoever attacked them was familiar with the compound and Fillian military organization, otherwise they would’ve been easily discovered.”

“What does this have to do with us?” the king asked, though he had a feeling he knew the answer. Too many things kept pointing in Cantera’s direction.

“The cruiser originated in a system near this one. We never were able to determine exactly which one it was. It appeared on our radar because it was a much older ship than we usually see and it was making erratic jumps, avoiding usual points. One of those points happened by where a connection of ours is located.”

“And you think the tyrant will think I had something to do with it?”

“That would depend on what his advisors tell him,” Tempus replied. “But I doubt there’s going to be a connection made to you. They’d never admit that Cantera had that kind of reach. That is, assuming you did have nothing to do with it.”

“Of course not. I didn’t even know about the ship you’re talking about.”

The Foundation agent continued to stare at him for a moment and then at the king’s guards. The guards were attempting to look as though some other conversation was going on. For the time being it looked to be working as their louder voices were all that could be heard anywhere near the table. So far the other tables were filling up, just not those next to theirs.

“Okay, that being the case you should forget the Fillian incident for now. From what you’ve told me it’s most likely your counselor dealing with interstellar trade who is involved at least with information being slipped to Fillia.”

Tempus remained a couple more minutes to finish his drink and put up a show of trivial banter before he headed out. The king and his counselors remained for another half hour before doing the same. Each time the Foundation agent talked with him things always got more complicated and to be honest a bit more frightening. The one who most likely is betraying them is the one involved with interstellar trade? There was no one counselor for that. All three could be said to be doing so. Yet, after he thought about it, there could be one who was more involved than the others.

While Counselor Oris was in charge of manufacturing and building up the planet’s mechanical industries he was only minimally responsible for any interactions outside of the Fillian Empire, Grij was in charge of military, defense, and intelligence work with other systems within Fillian jurisdictions. Then there was his other counselor Iar, whose official purpose was agriculture and food production. Unofficially he had grown more and more involved with economic activities and trade beyond that of the empire. While Oris did some work in trade, over the years he’d deferred such responsibilities to Iar, and to be honest the king didn’t object. Iar was just so good at it. Iar looked more and more like the one who might be slipping information to the tyrant. Hiero would have to check one last thing before accepting this verdict. It was hard. Iar had been his friend for a long time.

Then there was the Fillian cruiser. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. First he would have to independently confirm that such a ship had been actually in the places Tempus claimed. Once something like that was pinpointed there were other sources one could go to for confirmation. If true, he was fairly certain that it hadn’t come from one of the systems under Canteran influence. So what did that leave? There would need to be another general meeting of him and his advisors as soon as possible.  
_________________________________________________________________________

When the messenger arrive from the agricultural minister’s office, it was clear something was wrong. The minister Iar never sent people running to the king’s office like this. The one delivering the message was out of breath and took a minute before he could speak. The king waited for the man to speak before opening the message. There could be something else this runner needed to tell him before the king read it.

“Counselor Iar is dead, your Grace!”

The king almost dropped the message in his hand. What was this?

Swiftly he unsealed the message on the tablet and started to read. It was from Eileen, the minister’s wife. The counselor had been found dead in his rooms, having been shot by a blaster. Roughly the same time that he had left the bar; and Tempus had left the bar. Was that a coincidence? Did this prove Iar innocent?

“Can you tell anything that’s not in this message?”

“Not much. Eileen had been sent on an errand by her husband to retrieve some memos from the office. She had been gone for about an hour. When she came back she found him lying on the floor in their bedroom.”

“Is she at home right now?”

“Of course. I just came from there.”

“Okay, come with me.”

There was a mixture of emotions racing through his mind. Iar had been his friend a long time. They had worked together and their families had done many things together over the years. If not for Tempus he never would’ve suspected him of anything. Or would he? Even without Tempus things had been getting strange with Cantera and the tyrant’s administrators.

The home of the agriculture counselor wasn’t far from the king’s residence. It took about five minutes for the transport to get from the king’s residence to that of Iar. Ten security officers came with him. He felt it important to inform the other counselors in order to make sure they were safe. He knew that something else bad would likely happen soon but didn’t know why.

Eileen sat on a sofa in the adjacent room as security personnel started to arrive. They must’ve been contacted after the messenger had reached the king. He’d have to make some kind of statement soon to keep any panic from happening. 

“Eileen, it’s me,” the king said. “Look at me.”

Slowly, she looked up through eyes that had clearly been cry until he’d arrived.

“Hiero,” she finally said after staring blankly at him for a few seconds. “Hiero, he’s dead.”

“I know,” he replied. “I got your message.”

He had known Eileen almost as long as he’d known her husband. When official business wasn’t being done they had spoken to each other a lot about her family and Iar’s. When not doing official business they always spoke on a first name basis.”

“Eileen, can you tell me what happened.” When she continued to just stare at him he continued. “Eileen, please. I need you to tell me anything that you didn’t mention in your letter. Help me find the one who killed Iar.”

It took a moment before she took a deep breath and the looked squarely at the king. “Who would kill Iar? I don’t understand.” When the king said nothing, but just continued to look in her direction she spoke again. “I don’t know what else I can say. The intruder did get in using my husband’s ID and took it with him when he left. ”

That wasn’t good. Iar’s credentials could get someone into any secure location except for the king’s personal residence. Those credentials needed to be removed from the system.

“It looks like some files were downloaded from his personal computer as well,” she continued. 

“Do you know what these files might be?” There were too many horrible possibilities there. 

“Not everything. Just that one containing information about a trade agreement we made with the planet Duran.”

Duran. Duran was a planet within the empire that could be said to still have Canteran influence after the last revolt was put down. There were all kinds of trade agreements they had with that planet dealing with several corporations. 

“Do you know what the treaty was?”

“I can find out. I have the information on one of my personal computers.”

The king nodded. Eileen looked to be getting distracted again as she glanced at the security forces walking back the door. She was tired. It was best that for the time being he leave her alone. He’d talk with her later. Instructing security not to disturbing her until she’d rested the king hurried back to the palace.  
____________________________________________

“Your Grace, you sent for me?” enquired Captain Tya. Since her superior in orbital command, Admiral Shore, was still in the hospital on Station One, she was the one handling things there. Just how much she was doing the king didn’t know for sure.

“Yes, captain. First I want to know if there have been any more deaths, or attacks on our orbital bases.”

“I have reported everything to Counselor Grij, your Grace. Certainly he would have more to say than I do.”

“Perhaps, captain, but I want to hear it straight from you.” He didn’t want her to realize one reason he wanted things straight from her was that he was forced to be even more suspicious of Counselor Grij after the murder of Iar.

After a couple moments she said, “Someone was caught outside the general’s quarters two days ago who was armed and clearly not supposed to be there. Right now he is under interrogation. So far he’s given us nothing. He was dressed in a lieutenant’s uniform, but didn’t match the description of anyone listed in command there. We’re not sure if he’s involved with the murders, but I’d be surprised if he’s not associated somehow. We should know soon.”

“What about unusual traffic through our system?”

“I’m not sure what might be considered unusual, as much activity in Cantera’s system is different from what others have. I’ve only been in the observation posts working with the general for the past three years.”

“Yes, captain. That I understand, but since you are the general’s aide I assume he’s discussed things he’s noticed? Perhaps ships traveling far outside the Fillian Empire.”

Suddenly the captain looked uncomfortable. “Do you mean something like the ships sent to Gondor, or do you mean activities with us and Trantor?”

“Captain, I don’t want to play games. I’ve had one of my generals attacked and one of my counselors murdered in the last week. I need answers. That’s why I called you in here, for you clearly know more than you’ve been communicating to Counselor Grij.”

Swallowing, the captain replied, “Your grace, things like what happened with Gondor we know very little. When your Counselor Iar had indicated that he would handle trade and relations with them Grij ordered us to leave that alone. Trantor, on the other hand, was organized by your Counselor Grij and worked through General Shore. It took two years to conduct the mission and our people have just began reporting.”

“And now three of them are dead and one in critical condition?”

“Not quite critical anymore, but you’re on the right track.”

When the king stared at her in silence Tya continued, “They were trying to find more information about stellar cartography of the old Galactic Empire as well as the settlement and continued history of the planet Fillia.”

“What kinds of things did they discover?”

“Sir, can I be blunt?”

“Please do. Right now I’m ready to start making rearrangements of my command structure if I don’t get answers to my questions.”

“Besides what you might expect, they brought back evidence that Fillia has a lot of “commerce”, as they call it, with several uninhabited systems both in and outside of their empire.”

“What kind of commerce?”

“Small vessels, miners, and a war ship or two. Our information about stellar cartography has indicated that some systems aren’t on our regular charts and some of these ships that look to get going toward certain systems are actually diverted to these uninhabited ones.”

“Is the tyrant trying to get more information, or some plan of attack?”

“Some of this looks like the tyrant isn’t involved. From what we’ve been able to discover there are a couple factions within the empire that are separate from the tyrant’s. Their motives are unclear, but they are gathering information and keeping it to themselves.”

Factions within the empire. What could that mean? There have always been factions in the government, but it never occurred to him that any of them might keep information from the tyrant. At least not until the ship was destroyed on the platform by the tyrant’s palace. Usually they would do what they could to curry favor. 

“Thank you, captain. That will be all. I’d like you to keep me informed about the general’s continued condition. And keep this between us until I can speak with the general.”

For a moment a strange look came over her face before she got control and masked any her emotions. “You want me to keep it from your Counselor Grij, your Grace?”

“Will that be a problem?”

“No, Sir. Of course not.”

His possible suspicions of Grij were clear there, but he had little choice. It was uncertain if she’d keep her word when it came to her silence to the counselor, but he had to take some risks here and there if he was going to untangle this web. With all these factions if he could determine some motives and maybe one or two players it would be possible to play them off each other. 

After dismissing the captain he sat behind his desk for another hour. At first just thinking. Thinking about what all these shenanigans could mean and what should be the first step in his efforts to keep the planet together. Finally he started typing into his computer, searching for anything he could find that could lead him toward his next course of action. The traffic, transactions, and other activities on the planet were immense, not to mention what he could find with the open activities of the Fillian Empire. This was why the bureaucracy was so big. Nobody could possibly sift through all this and keep in straight in his mind.

Then something did catch his eye. While sifting through activities of Cantera, Fillia, the empire, Trantor, and Gondor a name kept creeping its way in. It was always on the periphery, but always showed up. In two places it was front and center, both in regards to Fillia and Trantor, and then Cantera itself. There was a conversation that was well over due if what he suspected was true.

Collecting the data pad he placed all his collected information on, he left his office and headed for his rooms. Perhaps it would be best to get some sleep so that he could clear his head and look at the information with fresh eyes. Coming around a corner near where his main chambers were the sound of a blaster could be heard. One of his guards dropped right beside him. The other was then taken out before any reaction could be taken. The king stood alone in the hallway as a figure wearing a royal guard uniform raised a blaster in the king’s direction and fired.  
________________________________________

On the Fillian home world it could be said that the size of one’s residence was an indication of that one’s importance. That being the case it is no wonder that the tyrant’s palace was the largest of them. Of course, that meant that to keep such a place up and well guarded, as every ruler is, required a very large number of people. Over two thousand servants and six hundred members of the tyrant’s guard resided there. 

In a residence in one of the older sections of the palace, not far from the barracks and platform that had been recently blown up by unknown agents, two people met for a casual conversation. Things had been arranged so that the two wouldn’t be disturbed. 

“What was on the security officer’s data pad?” the first asked. 

“Some information about a Foundation operative’s existence on Cantera as well as evidence that Cantera is building things that they shouldn’t be.”

“Weapons?”

“Not just weapons, but war ships. The agent clearly thinks that the planet is planning another revolt, and soon.”

“And what’s your assessment?”

“They are planning some kind of intrigue against the tyrant and it certainly could lead to another revolt. A lot of what we have here is supposition. If there is an intended revolt it’s not likely going to be soon. But I believe given this information our tyrant would likely send as much of his fleet as he could to halt everything in their tracks. The two things he trusts the least are Cantera and the Foundation.”

“So now what do we do with this information?” the first speaker said, perhaps just to himself, but perhaps not.

“That’s up to you. We have no love for the Canterans. I believe we prefer that they remain under Fillian control, but the tyrant himself is our biggest concern. If we want to restore the council to control the empire, having the tyrant preoccupied with suppressing a revolt could work to our advantage, but then the rulers of Yllul look to be on the verge of declaring war on Fillia. Do we want to be dealing with both a civil war and an invasion at the same time? Especially when the Canteran threat is a ways away?”

“But then there are the other players.”

“Yes, indeed,” the second responded. “Their objectives are uncertain as well as just how they’re organized. We do know that their objectives are power and expansion, but other than that we know almost nothing.”

“Almost,” the first said. “What would be your advice with this information, then?”

“I’d recommend we hold onto it for now and see how things start to play out. For now we’ve prevented an imminent attack on Cantera. We certainly aren’t ready to act against the Tyrant just yet. Perhaps with a little more analysis of this information something else can be discovered.”

“Very well. We’ll sit on it for now. Soon we should decide whether we’d be better off giving this to the tyrant or threatening Cantera with possibly revealing it.” 

Here ends Part 3 of Cantera: A Foundation Story


End file.
